Heavy rain from 'Gener', southwest monsoon drench much of Luzon

Published July 30, 2012 12:52am

(Updated 5:40 a.m.) Three weather systems—Tropical Storm ‘Gener’ (Saola), the southwest monsoon, and a shallow low pressure area (SLPA) over Rizal province—combined to bring moderate to intense rainfall to Metro Manila and much of Luzon and prompted disaster response authorities to suspend classes and keep a tight watch over dams, rivers, coastlines and landslide-prone areas. The latest weather complication is the SLPA, which the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said it spotted in the vicinity of Rizal. The SLPA dumped “moderate to heavy rains with strong winds in Bataan, Bulacan, Pampanga, Metro Manila and adjacent areas. Storm signals In its severe weather bulletin as of 11:00 p.m. Sunday and also at 5:00 a.m. Monday, PAGASA said public storm warning signals (PSWS) are up over seven areas because of ‘Gener”. Signal No. 2 is in effect over Cagayan province and the groups of islands of Calayan, Babuyan and Batanes. These areas will feel winds of 61 kilometers per hour (kph) to 100 kph in strength. PAGASA said ‘Gener’ has “maximum sustained winds of 105 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 135 kph.” Signal No. 1 was raised over the provinces of Isabela, Kalinga, and Apayao. These places will experience 45 kph to 65 kph winds. “Residents living in low lying and mountainous areas under Public Storm Warning Signals and areas affected by the Southwest Monsoon are alerted against possible flashfloods and landslides,” PAGASA said. “Likewise, those living in coastal areas under Public Storm Warning Signal #2 are alerted against big waves or storm surges generated by this tropical cyclone,” it added. Dams, rivers

PAGASA flood forecasters issued a Red Warning Signal as it monitored "intense rain" of 15.5 mm) over La Mesa Dam from 11:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. By 6:10 a.m. Monday, PAGASA lowered the flood warning to 'green' which indicates "moderate to heavy rains of 5-15 millimeters is expected and most likely to continue for the next 3 hours." The La Mesa Dam has been at "critical level red alert" for several hours now.

PAGASA said the intense rainfall is "most likely to continue for the next 3 hours."

It said flooding is expected in low-lying areas and those located near the river channels. It also advised residents in high risk areas "to take precautionary measures and MONITOR the weather condition and WATCH OUT for the next warning." The National Disaster Risk Reduction and management Council (NDRRMC) said "continuing increase of the water elevation of La Mesa Dam causing excess water to overflow is expected to affect the low-lying areas along the Tullahan River, Fairview, Novaliches and the CAMANAVA area. NDRRMC advised all the residents living downstream from La Mesa dam "to be alert for possible increase in the water level downstream." The NDRRMC also said six roads and five bridges have been closed to traffic since Sunday. Four closed roads are in the Cordilleras while some bridges were shut down in Occidental Mindoro and Palawan. Water level along the San Mateo River in Rizal province reached critical in the first hours of Monday, PAGASA flood forecasting data show. The level exceeded critical the 18.30-meter mark and has been rising. At the Tumana Bridge at the border of Quezon City and Marilkina, the river water level was at the critical mark of 18.30 meters as of 5:40 a.m. Meanwhile, officials at the Ipo Dam in Bulacan have opened one spillgate. "At 1:50 am, 30 July, Ipo Dam open one gate = 0.30 m equivalent to 47.9 cubic meters per second," PAGASA dam monitors said via Twitter. At 3:00 a.m. Monday two spillgates of the Bustos Dam also in Bulacan were opened by four meters to let out 100 cubic meters of water per second.open two gates = 4.0 m equivalent to 100.0 cms. — ELR, GMA News

Tags: gener, weather, storm, cyclone, heavyrain